Democrats vow to kill yet another jobs bill

Senate Democrats have vowed to obstruct efforts to put approval of the Keystone jobs pipeline in legislation to be voted upon this week.

“Keystone is a program that we’re not going, that I am not going to help in any way I can,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, told reporters.

“The president feels that way,” Reid emphasized.

Upping the ante in Democrats’ efforts to kill the pipeline, seven of the eight slots given to Democrats on a conference committee to has out legislation went to Democrats who voted to kill the jobs pipeline.

The other, Montana Democrat Max Baucus, promised in writing he would not support Keystone as a member of the committee.

Democrats’ efforts to kill the pipeline come as rising unemployment and gas prices are putting millions of American families beyond their financial breaking point.

Democrats' 'Freshman of the Year' Rep. Ron Reynolds arrested

Texas State Rep. Ron Reynolds has been arrested, jailed and charged with illegally soliciting clients for his law practice.  He is now free on $50,000.00 bond.  Reynolds is scheduled to appear in court Thursday.

The story does not mention his party affiliation, so, yes, he is a Democrat.

He was previously fined $10,000.00 by the Texas Ethics Commission for refusing to file legally-required disclosure statements.

"Since Reynolds first ran for office in 2008, he’s missed numerous financial disclosure deadlines, KXAN's investigation showed," KXAN reports.

"He failed to submit his Personal Financial Statement for 2008, 2010 and 2011. He was not required to file on in 2009 because he was not a candidate or elected official for that year.

"Failure to file a Personal Financial Statement is a Class B Misdemeanor. If convicted, the penalty is up to 180 days in jail, a fine of up to $2,000, or both.

"In addition, the Texas Election Code prohibits any state candidate for state office from accepting contributions or making expenditures until a campaign treasurer report is filed with the Texas Ethics Commission. Records obtained through the Texas Public Information Act show The Texas Ethics Commission voted to terminate Reynolds' campaign treasure appointment, effective May 16, 2009.

"Reynolds didn’t file a new appointment until Jan. 19. In the meantime, he raised $129,914 and spent $110,484 in campaign funds . Violating the Election Code regarding raising or spending funds without a campaign treasurer appointment is a Class A Misdemeanor. If convicted of a Class A Misdemeanor, the penalty is up to a year in jail, a fine of up to $4,000 or both.

"The investigation also show that a Federal Tax Lien filed against Reynolds in Fort Bend County indicating that he owes the Internal Revenue Service $59,122. Court filings also show Reynolds and his law firm own $10,466.56 plus interest on a debt to Martindale-Hubble.

"Reynolds' law firm, Brown, Brown & Reynolds, is listed as being in Tax Forfeiture by the Secretary of State’s office, effective Dec. 10.

"Records filed at the Secretary of State’s office shows other entities involving Reynolds were involuntarily dissolved or forfeited because the credit card used to pay the fee was declined."

While under investigation for all that, he was nonetheless named "Freshman of the Year" by the House Democrat Caucus.

“I was proud to announce that Ron was our Freshman of the Year,” said Jessica Farrar, House Democratic Leader.  His legislative paycheck is being garnished to collect the fines for disclosure violations.

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Portugal admits Keynesian economics are a failure

"Defending austerity is not getting any easier for Europe’s politicians. And Vitor Gaspar, Portugal’s finance minister, has it harder than others. The country’s unemployment rate is 14 percent, and its economy, which has been stagnant for years, is expected to shrink another 3.3 percent in 2012," The New York Times writes.

"Opponents of austerity may cite Portugal as a country that could benefit from economic stimulus and kinder budget cuts. But Mr. Gaspar, speaking to The New York Times last week, has a message for observers who say Europe needs to substantially relax its austerity approach: We tried stimulus and it backfired."

"My country definitely provides a cautionary tale that shows that, in some instances, short-run expansionary policies can be counterproductive," Gaspar tells the Times.
Europe's failed experiment in government-run economies has resulted in collapse, bankruptcy, bailouts, massive unemployment, riots, arson and human suffering.

And America's economic collapse has its roots is government interference in the economy. After decades of banks refusing to offer home loans to people who clearly could not pay them back the government's "Community Reinvestment Act" and hearings accuse banks of racism bullied lenders into offering subprime mortgages.  The government-inflated bubble eventually burst, toppling the economy like a line of dominoes.

The sad fact is while Americans and even now Europeans see the failure of government-directed "stimulus" programs, Democrats and Republicans don't.  Republicans masterminded the bank bailouts and Democrats still defend Obama's failed "stimulus."

Originally blogged at LNCC